If you love watching makeup tutorials on YouTube, you may be excited to hear that you can now "try on" cosmetics with your favourite beauty vloggers using augmented reality.
The video-sharing service is launching a new tool called AR Beauty Try-On, which will let you virtually apply products to your face, while following along with video guides.
YouTube claims that, thanks to machine learning and AR technology, the tool offers realistic, virtual product samples that work on a full range of skin tones.
The first brand to launch an AR Beauty Try-On campaign is MAC Cosmetics, which will use the new format in a variety of influencer campaigns.
Viewers will be able to try on different shades of MAC lipstick as their favourite beauty vlogger tries on the same shades.
After trying on a lipstick, they will be able to click to visit MAC's website to purchase it.
YouTube said that it has already tested the experience with several beauty brands, and so far the response has been positive.
"30 percent of viewers activated the AR experience in the YouTube iOS app, spending over 80 seconds on average trying on lipstick virtually," it said in a blog post .
The AR Beauty Try-On is currently in alpha testing, and is expected to roll out more broadly this summer.
YouTube is not the only company exploring this market. L'Oréal already has a beauty app called YouCam that overlays makeup onto a live image of the user's face.
There are several pre-defined "looks" to choose from, or users can customise each element individually - such as lipstick colour and eyeliner style.
